morie smart lab2011
TRANSCRIPT
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The BAC…. My PhD writing process
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Virtual Humans and Avatars Who’s Who?
Jacquelyn Ford Morie
The projects or efforts depicted were or are sponsored by the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Simulation Training and Technology Center (STTC). The content or information presented does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the Government, and no official endorsement should be inferred.
Immersion Virtual Humans Games-Simulation Narrative-Storytelling
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Agenda
o ICT’s Virtual Humans
o Virtual Worlds // Virtual Reality
o Avatars in VWs
o “Coming Home” in the VW
– Activities: MBSR Running Path Warriors’ Journey
oVirtual Humans in VWs
oThe Iraqi Village checkpoint Exercise
oFuture work
o Collaborations & Acknowledgements
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ICT makes Virtual Humans
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Marketing
TrainingResearch
Dr. PerezSASO-ST, SASO-EN
Elder-Al-HassanSASO-EN
C3ITCultural training
ELECTBi-Lat
HassanEmotional Dialog Modeling
Virtual
Humans
RaedTactical Questioning
Sgt. Star
Sgt. BlackwellClinicalDiagnosis
RadiobotsJFETS Training
RapportAgent Study
ICT’s Virtual Humans Portfolio
JustinaVirtual Patient
Gunslinger
JustinVirtual Patient
Museum Guide & Coach
Support
VeteransCenterSimCoach
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Ada & Grace
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The Rise of Virtual Worlds 1 in 8 people now use virtual worlds
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Virtual Worlds
VWs (vs. Virtual Environments or VR)
are rich, networked, persistent, 3D, interactive worlds,
which participants inhabit by means of an avatar (self-representation),
who interacts with the world, its contents and others.
VWs are primarily social
This facilitates and encourages
• communication,
• social activities &
• group connections.
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Avatars
A key attractor for people
People identify strongly with their avatars
And spend a lot of time personalizing them.
It is the self they perform/let the (virtual) world see
“I am my avatar and my avatar is me.”
Other social networks do NOT provide this means for
embodied self-expression.
Other social networks do NOT provide this means for
embodied self-expression.
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The “Coming Home” Project
300,000+ veterans in need, yet only 1 in 3 seeks mental health services (RAND 2008)
Why?• Access/Location• Stigma• Not knowing they need help• 6 months until issues manifest• Not completing treatment
Virtual Worlds can address these issues.
• Easily accessible
Anonymity & peer to peer support
Traditional health activities with innovative methods
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“Coming Home” approach
Create a specialized space in Second Life for
• Social connections, relaxation
• Resources for healing & transition
• Specific therapeutic offerings
Best platform because:
• Users do not have to pay for an account to use the space
• We can create the content.
• We can write code to extend the functionality of the world
• Social aspect enhances peer-to-peer support
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The Veterans Center on Chicoma Island (4 sims)
• Chicoma Lodge (social)
• Chicoma Exchange (resources)
• Special activities (engagement)
• Areas for group sessions (MBSR)
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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
• Adapted for the online environment
• 2 expert facilitators
• Guided meditation & awareness
Completed first class (8 sessions) with 8-10 participants
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The Proteus EffectThe Proteus Effect Virtual Human Interaction LabVirtual Human Interaction Labvhil.stanford.edu/
Fox & Bailenson (2009) Virtual self-
modeling: The effects of vicarious
reinforcement and identification on exercise
behaviors, Media Psychology, 12(1)
Fox & Bailenson (2009) Virtual self-
modeling: The effects of vicarious
reinforcement and identification on exercise
behaviors, Media Psychology, 12(1)
Yee, Bailenson & Ducheneaut (2009) The
Proteus Effect: Implications of transformed
digital self-representation on online and
offline behavior. Communication Research,
36 (2).
Yee, Bailenson & Ducheneaut (2009) The
Proteus Effect: Implications of transformed
digital self-representation on online and
offline behavior. Communication Research,
36 (2).
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Virtual Jogging PathVirtual Jogging Path
Controlling one’s avatar via regular breathing
• Implementing this activity was non-trivial & required an innovative solution.
• Needs only standard microphone.
• Uses SL functions & a HUD.
• HUD functions show person’s sound levels as a rising/falling green bar.
• User matches this bar to a target red bar.
• As they do, their avatar runs along a predefined course.
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TOPSS Virtual Humans in Second Life
Ongoing issue:
• Many people have a confusing 1st experience and never return.
• A friend or guide avatar helping can make the difference.
Intelligent agent-avatars can
• Be 24/7 guides
• Make the world more interesting
• Collect data to see how people use the space
• Serve a wide range of other purposes
Challenge to implement within an open persistent environment
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The Center Guide
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Warriors’ Journey Virtual HumanStorytower experience contains classic warrior (hero) journey stories
Why storyPower of storyHow it can help.
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Continuing Work for SL Virtual Humans
Collecting logs and adding to the knowledge base
Additional Warrior’s Journey story – Samurai Warrior
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1. Warrior’s Journey pilot usability study completed
– 18 participants, non-military.
– All found it easy to use, navigate, understand the story & talk to the warrior.
– Testing with veterans next.
2. Voice recognition within the SL Virtual World
– First basic tests with a general voice model successful.
– Need speech model to match subject domain
– Working on more robust SL integration.
Continuing Work for SL Virtual Humans
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Future Work for SL Virtual Humans
Create storytelling agent to assist
veterans in authoring their own
Warrior’s Journey story
“Wounded people may be cared for, but as storytellers, they care for others.
Their injuries become the source of the potency of their stories.” …
(Arthur Frank, 1997)
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Advisors and Collaborations
SL veterans’ group
Dr. Rick Satava, Professor of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle
Dr. Skip Rizzo, Associate Director for Health Research, USC-ICT
Dr. Valerie Rice, PhD, CPE, OTR-L COL (R) Chief, ARL HRED AMEDD Field Element Ft. Sam Houston
Dr. Steve Hickman, Psy.D. Asst. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, UC San Diego Mindfulness Center
Allan Goldstein, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Session Leader
Richard Dillon, Senior VP, Preferred Family Health Care
Collen Crary/Anya Ibor, Fearless Nation PTSD Support Organization: http://www.fearless-nation.org
Dr. Jose Coll, USC School of Military Social Work (grad students will do some social work in SL)
Ft. Hood Resiliency Center
Shelly Young, M.A., LPC, CAC III
Shinzen Young, MBSR Expert, Author of Break Through Pain: A Step-by-Step Mindfulness Meditation Program for Transforming Chronic and Acute Pain